Overview
- Fox Sports reporter Bruce Feldman says Penn State’s leadership has genuine interest in hiring Pat Fitzgerald.
- Fitzgerald was dismissed by Northwestern in 2023 following hazing allegations and settled a wrongful-termination lawsuit in August 2025; he has said he feels fully vindicated.
- Over 17 seasons at Northwestern, Fitzgerald went 110–101 with Big Ten West titles in 2018 and 2020 and earned conference and national coach-of-the-year honors.
- Skeptics point to Northwestern’s downturn late in his tenure, including a 4–20 mark across his final two seasons and a 1–11 finish.
- Iowa State’s Matt Campbell is also being discussed as a leading candidate, and Penn State’s coaching search remains active with no hire announced.